Parnassia asarifolia
- Phonetic Spelling
- par-NASS-ee-uh as-air-ee-FOH-lee-uh
- Description
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Grass-of-Parnassus is a herbaceous perennial wildflower in the bittersweet family native to the eastern United States, from West Virginia to Texas, including North Carolina. It can commonly be found in bogs, seeps, and brookbanks; in general, more acidic habitats than P. grandifloria. The plant can reach a mature height of 1 to 2 feet and produces handsome, inch-wide, 5-petaled white flowers with green veins from late summer into fall.
This plant prefers sandy to loamy acidic soils in wet sites under full sun or partial shade. It is important not to let it dry out in the summer.
Use along streams or ponds and in boggy areas. This plant is considered vulnerable in North Carolina and under peril of extinction in Arkansas.
Diseases, Insect Pests, and Other Plant Problems:
No known diseases or insect pests.
- See this plant in the following landscape :
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Cultivars / Varieties:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Parnassia
- Species:
- asarifolia
- Family:
- Celastraceae
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Division
- Seed
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Virginia south to Georgia and west to Texas
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Herbaceous Perennial
- Native Plant
- Wildflower
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Clumping
- Erect
- Growth Rate:
- Medium
- Maintenance:
- Medium
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Moist
- Occasionally Wet
- NC Region:
- Mountains
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b
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Fruit:
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Fruit Type:
- Capsule
- Fruit Description:
- Fruits are available September-November.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Green
- White
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Long Bloom Season
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Fall
- Summer
- Flower Petals:
- 4-5 petals/rays
- Flower Size:
- < 1 inch
- Flower Description:
- One inch white flower with five clawed petals; prominent green veins; five stamens alternate with petals. Single flowers sit atop an erect green stem. Flowers bloom from July into October.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Feel:
- Rubbery
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Shape:
- Orbicular
- Reniform
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- 3-6 inches
- Leaf Description:
- Rosette of 4 inch, thick and shiny, kidney-shaped, long-stalked, basal leaves with a single clasping leaf on the round stem.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Green
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Cross Section:
- Round
- Stem Description:
- Round green stem
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Pond
- Landscape Theme:
- Native Garden
- Design Feature:
- Small groups
- Attracts:
- Songbirds
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Wet Soil
